Workplace Reconnaissance

Gathering pertinent information to make informed decisions leads to greater likelihood of success. I call this task “Workplace Reconnaissance”.

Lets look a common scenario.

The leader of a business is in the middle of working on something important for the future of their company. They are interrupted by a team member who throws a fire into their lap that requires immediate guidance. The leader gives a quick answer that helps put out the fire. The fire is put out and things resume to normal.

The fire was put out. Things are normal again. Until the next fire…

This situation is scary and frustrating to the leader. What would have happened if they were not available to put out the fire? Who created the fire? How could this fire have been eliminated before it started? These are the standard questions the leader would ask. They are important and should lead to improved processes and training that help lessen the frequency of the fires. But this is not enough.

The other necessary question, which often goes unasked, is “What would I have done if I would have had more facts and a few more minutes to think this through”. The results of these snap decisions often do not get reviewed as thoroughly as other decisions. Management does not hold itself as accountable with these situations. It is these decisions, though, that they should be held most accountable for. Managers have the built-in excuse of the circumstance, but that excuse does not show up in the Balance Sheet.

This is why Workplace Reconnaissance is so important. Getting facts together for your leader so that they can make intelligent decisions despite the conditions. This helps limit downside risk, and lets the leader start at a higher point then ground zero. This builds the habit of making informed decisions.

The important process for gathering Reconnaissance should be part of the training program of all direct reports of company leaders. The impact can be significant. It can include saving time, money, and raising the overall level of the company.